Al Qaeda can take over Pakistan's Punjab province: SAFMA

Published: Saturday, November 22, 2008, 11:25 [IST]

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Lahore, Nov 22 : The South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) has said that al Qaeda can take over Pakistan's Punjab province at any time, as it has appointed Ameers (presidents) and Naib Amirs (vice presidents) in all 34 districts of the state.

Punjab Police have been providing protocol to 'jihadis', said SAFMA General Secretary Imtiaz Alam while addressing a condolence conference in memory of poet and former professor of Punjabi Ali Arshad Mir.

He said the right and left wings in Pakistan had unfortunately united and were jointly terming the United Sates an enemy of Pakistan, adding that this ideology was further being fuelled and propagated by the 'mujahideen' in the media.

The Daily Times quoted Alam as saying that these extremist forces had joined hands to overpower the third faction - the progressive and liberal section of the society.

He apprehended a clash of factions as forces from Muridke, Raiwand, Waziristan, DI Khan and Karachi were working to defeat each other.

The SAFMA general secretary said the 'mujahideen' media had adopted the Taliban's theory and was attacking secular forces in the country.

He said that the lawyers' movement has also divided the civil society, adding that the democratic movement had cooled down as well.

He said the absence of Arshad Mir was being felt in uncertain times like these, which require someone to raise a voice for the liberal and progressive forces in the country.